TOKYO, Dec. 24 -- A poll conducted in Japan has shown that more than half of interviewees are against allowing the country to exercise the right of collective self-defense.

The nationwide telephone survey, which was made by Kyodo News on Sunday and Monday, found that 53.1 percent are opposed to the change advocated by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, while 37.0 percent support it.

Abe has expressed a desire to change the government's interpretation of the Constitution so it can lift a self-imposed ban on exercising the right of collective self-defense, or defending an ally under armed attack.

However, the New Komeito party, the junior coalition partner of Abe's Liberal Democratic Party, remains cautious about such a move.

Reflecting the party's position, 51.0 percent of New Komeito supporters oppose the change, while that of LDP supporters is 38.5 percent.

The survey was conducted on eligible voters across Japan, except some regions in nuclear-affected Fukushima Prefecture. Of the 1,437 households that answered the phone, 1,032 responded.